de Broglie wave
noun Physics.
a hypothetical wave associated with the motion of a particle of atomic or subatomic size that describes effects such as the diffraction of beams of particles by crystals.
Also called
matter wave.
Origin of de Broglie wave
First recorded in 1925–30; named after L.V.
de Broglie
British Dictionary definitions for de broglie waves
de Broglie waves
/ (də ˈbrəʊɡlɪ) /
pl n
physics
the set of waves that represent the behaviour of an elementary particle, or some atoms and molecules, under certain conditions. The de Broglie wavelength, λ, is given by λ = h/mv, where h is the Planck constant, m the mass, and v the velocity of the particle
Also called: matter waves
Word Origin for de Broglie waves
C20: named after Prince Louis Victor
de Broglie (1892–1987), French physicist